主题语境：中国春节 篇幅：298词 建议用时：6分钟

1It's funny—as a writer, it's easy to share your knowledge or your personal stories with an unknown listener of many. You think your friends and family may not read your articles. You also think your friends show no interest in your food or your culture.However,that's probably not the fact.

2As I began to talk more openly about Chinese traditions and food,I learned that they were interested, curious and really hungered for it. Their interest and curiosity grew and the culmination of their interest and curiosity was the Spring Festival. They would like to spend the Spring Festival with me. It was an inconvenient Monday. I'd never had the Spring Festival when anyone but my father cooked.

3I took the day off work in madness of lastminute preparation.I drove 45 minutes out of town to a Cantonese BBQ shop where I bought a whole roast duck (烤鸭) and watched,fascinated, as it was changed into bite sizes. I shopped at a faraway international market like a madwoman,looking for Chinese vegetables and other foods that would be new for my guests. I called my dad, asking him for sixsecond pointers on how to make dishes I'd never made. I texted him pictures of the sea fish I picked out, and the red clothing they threw on for luck.

4In just a few hours, I cooked a dinner of 15 dishes for six friends who cared enough about me and my culture to come over on a cold winter Monday night to celebrate my tradition with me.We drank,ate and toasted on the beautiful night.And that night,I felt what it was to be loved for my culture as well as our food.

Reading Check

1.What does the underlined word“culmination”mean in paragraph 2?

A.Top. B.Celebration.

C.Tradition. D.Imagination.

2.What did the author do in the BBQ shop?

A.She ate a whole roast duck. B.She bought a roast duck.

C.She asked to cook a duck herself. D.She took photos of a roast duck.

3.What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A.The shops the author went to. B.The guests'love of Chinese food.

C.The author's preparation for dinner. D.The author's father.

4.What can be inferred about the author according to the text?

A.She is living with her family members. B.She is a madwoman.

C.She is a world famous writer. D.She is proud of Chinese culture.

Language Study

Ⅰ.Useful expressions

show no interest in 对……没有兴趣

hunger for 渴望……

would like to do 想要做……

take the day off work 请一天假

throw on 匆匆穿上……

as well as 也；还

Ⅱ.V⁃ing形式作伴随状语

英语中Ving 形式作伴随状语时，它表示的是一个次要的动作，来对谓语的动作加以说明或作为陪衬。一般将其置于主句后，可用逗号与主句隔开。例如：

1.My sister,an inexperienced rider,was found sitting on the bicycle,trying to balance it.我妹妹，一个毫无骑车经验的人，被发现坐在自行车上想要使自行车平衡。

2. I waited at the entrance to the railway station, hoping to meet one of my friends. 我在火车站的入口处等着，希望能接到我的朋友。